Homemade Deodorant and Slip-Sliding Down Project Runway....

My first granny square scarf.  I had fun with this and plan to make another one for gifting.   This one went to the same daughter, that this hat (another finished project)....

Deodorant Experiment ~ Cocoa Powder Disaster

I've been experimenting with different deodorant recipes.  The last one I made was in liquid form, and the recipe was from Mountain Rose Herbs.  You can see my post here.  I like the liquid roll on, just don't ever put lemongrass in it. It will burn (it's just very strong).

I wanted to try another recipe for using deodorant containers.  No messy application, and I am hoping for a consistency that won't melt in summer.

I'm trying to convert my girls to using homemade vs. store bought organic/aluminum free (expensive) deodorants.  It has been a tough road in converting them too.

In the very beginning of these trials we first started out with a recipe that used coconut oil - hard in winter, soft in summer, and it was applied by fingertip.  It was shunned quickly by the girls, and Hubby didn't want to mess with it when we had to keep it in the fridge in summer.

You can simply use baking soda for a deodorant too. I have not tried this (yet).

 Experiment #374 (just exaggerating a bit there, ha ha!) 

Homemade Bubble Bath Update ~ Another "Frugal" DIY Book

A short while ago, I mixed up a recipe for homemade bubble bath.  Just you so know, there are so many different recipes out there to try.  

I got bubbles, but I have well water too.  The water turned a milky white due to the ingredients too. The bubbles were not real big, but the clove oil really stood out.  I think any good essential oil will work. It just depends on what you want. 

Homemade Vapo-Rub

Remember those baby food jars I needed?  Well, I finally got around to making one jar of homemade vapo-rub.  I think I will be trying several recipes.


A farmgirl shared the recipe with me.  This recipe is for adults (over the age of 12 I believe, but you could always swap out the peppermint for a safe oil for children).  Always do your research on what oils are safe, if you have young children, infants or if you are pregnant.

Self-Suffieciency Lifestyle Paying Off

I'm posting early today.  Hubby brought home another 10 lb. box of blueberries and a box of peaches.  I'll be busy for sure.

Here's an update on our journey to being self-sufficient.  Each year it gets better.
 
In the last 3 1/2 years we have really gained progress with self-sufficiency.  It does require some investments, but those pay off. 

So far this year, with making our own soap with our goat's milk, have not had to buy any bars of soap (and have used it to make homemade laundry detergent also).

We have not purchased dishwasher detergent either, and I am proud that we have reduced those chemicals and costs.

We have not had to buy any onions or potatoes this year.  Last year we did.  

We went all winter using green peppers we froze versus buying them from the store.

When we are low on eggs, we do without.  

We have cut down the cost of buying organic milk by having the goat's, and have drastically cut down the trips to the recycling center (cost of time and gasoline) to take milk jugs in.  It's been nice to recycle our canning jars for milk. 

I have not had to buy ricotta cheese this year also.  Making it is so easy with the goat's milk, but it takes 4 1/2 quarts. 

As for making ice cream out of goat's milk, we need another goat for more milk.  We need cream to add to the milk, otherwise it will freeze rock hard.  My daughter already has her eye on one she wants to add to her herd. 

We have not had to buy any jelly or jams for the last two years.  Every year I learn more recipes to make and stock up on.

I have cut back on the cost of annual flowers, and used seeds from other farmgirls (lovely zinnia's).  We also get the joy of watching butterflies.

We have not had to buy pickles or relish for two years now.  We had a bumper crop of cucumbers last year, and have not cut back the cost of carrots.

Our homemade deodorant is lasting so much longer, and had drastically cut back the cost and cut out the chemicals.

Last year, from butcher time to this spring, I never had to buy chicken.  Our meat chickens were worth the time to raise and we know they are chemical/antibiotic free. 

After last fall, and three rounds of yucky antibiotics, I am really working hard to use natural remedies.  Since then, and my awful sickness with allergies, we have been successful.  With the purchase of Allergy Easer Oil, I have not had to buy any allergy pills whatsoever (since last fall).  I have only had to take ibuprofen one time since then as well.  And my 10 year-old, who also suffers horribly, has not had to take one pill either.  She uses the roll-on Allergy Easer, and it has eliminated buying over the counter drugs, and we feel much better.  We've been successful at reducing our costs, and staying chemical free.

I've learned foraging skills, and have researched the health benefits of eating dandelion greens, and tops.  I've been making jelly from dandelions, and using the roots for dandelion "coffee."  I've learned that clovers are edible, and I can make jelly from white and red clover.  I've been making jelly from the flower of Queen Anne's Lace and studying the uses for the black walnuts on my property.  Even foxtail grass is edible.  We have wild chickweed on the property (not road side plants) and they can be used to make coffee, natural salves, and such as well.  Every year we pick the wild growing black raspberries.  It just gets more interesting as we learn.

I've learned skills for natural dyes, including the wild pokeweed growing on our property.  I hope to experiment more with plants like the goldenrod that grow here as well.

Over the past two years, I have taught my self to knit and to do needle tatting.  My goals are to learn quilting, blacksmithing, foraging for mushrooms, go hunting for deer myself, fish more often, and to learn the art of spinning wool.  The list gets longer each year, but our hand crocheted afghans are warmer than any blanket you can buy in the store, and last longer.  

This is our first year to plant again for a fall harvest.  Thankfully the August rains are helping.

It's all hard work, but in the end, worth it.  Our next goals are to make and use homemade toothpaste, grow enough corn to grind down ourselves for cornmeal, raise beef and dairy cows and much more.

Our wish list keeps growing, and every year we gain a few steps forward.

Excerpts from a Journal Junkie

from the homesteading journal. . .

I made another batch of homemade dishwasher detergent. This has saved us money and kept the chemicals off of our dishes.


Although many of the kids are not willing to try my homemade deodorant, I can say it holds up to a full workout at the gym, followed by an afternoon of wood splitting.

The snow has melted and the rains have arrived again. The yard looks like it flooded already, so the laundry is being dried inside. . .

{scrap fabric drying on my indoor clothesline}

from the baking/cooking journal. . .


I used to cook from my pantry to keep foods from expiring, but so often I am cooking from my freezer.  With the increased amount of garden and fruit frozen versus canned, I searched for recipes that can use up my shredded zucchini, and blueberries.  

I baked two loaves of zucchini/blueberry bread, and realized that I could also utilize any applesauce I have frozen as well (in place of cooking oil).  I had to smack a few hands from snatching my frozen blueberries.

I also finally canned Cinnamon/Cider jelly for our own family.  Now that the Christmas holiday is over, I can catch up on chores for my own family. 

from the crafting/handiwork journal . . .

I worked like a mad woman all weekend, to try and finish up or at least work on unfinished projects.  While I continue to crochet my sherbet colored afghan, I started painting mixing bowls.....

 {soon to be posted on my S.C.R.A.P. blogspot}

. . .I picked up at a thrift store almost 4 years ago.  I boxed up a few finished ornaments, and finished a few re-purposed projects.  

I finished another scarf. . .

While cleaning up my craft supplies (which could take me weeks), I found yet another unfinished project. . .

I worked a little on this yesterday, and when it's finished, this set of towels will be completed.

The list continues....


from my personal journal . . .

Two kids are home sick, hubby has been having stomach trouble (still went to work), and I am coughing with congestion, sinus pressure and once again the dreaded mucus.  I was so hoping we were all over this, but this is the pits.  

Today I am thankful for:

1. my washing machine
2. mail delivery to my home
3. my kid's jobs
4. the income I earn from writing
5. hot tea
6. essential oils and Vick's Vap-Rub
7. kleenex
8. my Bible
9. God's Love
10. paper   
      

2018 Year in Review

2018

Our family lost 3 family members , one friend, and a dedicated barn cat in 2018, but we have some positive memories to share too.  Although, I would love to go through every single new thing we did, or how many rides, trips we were able to take, camping trips, or new recipes we tried, I'll keep this short.  It's always nice to go back and look at the positive things that happened over the last year.  

We pickled garlic for the first time.

We pickled eggs for the first time.

Pickled turnips for the first time.

Made a new homemade deodorant.

Tired morel mushrooms for the first time.

Baked my first strawberry pie.

I canned wild violet jelly for the first time.



I made radish hash browns for the first time, and they were fantastic!

The best part of the year?  Celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary.  

This and That

Thank you everyone for your prayers, good thoughts and well wishes overall.  We are all so shocked and deeply saddened over the passing of our grandson.  They have no diagnosis, and his family awaits an autopsy.  They awoke to him not breathing.

On a more pleasant note, when I changed my bandage this morning, I noticed the wound (at my ankle) getting smaller, which is a sign of healing (but still nasty looking).

Hubby plans to go load up the car our daughter totaled, tow it here, and scrap it for parts.  He then plans to sell what's left for a derby car.  The engine, tires and other new parts will be sold.  That's the plan. Daughter will then use that money to help pay for a new one eventually.  We hope the car is derivable, so they can get it up on the trailer today.  It's costing us $17 a day for every day it is still there at the tow yard.

I am trying to figure out a crock pot dinner, that can be tossed together and then just heated up tomorrow.  Hm.

Oh, if you have a favorite Kimchi recipe, a traditional one, I'd love to try it. Kimchi is one I have yet to make.  It's on my to-do list when I'm up on my feet again.

Oh, and another good note.  After driving to the ER, my ankle and foot swelled up.  I stayed off of it all day and night yesterday, and the swelling has gone.  

Okay, I'm off here and back to my foot up.  I am surrounded by library books, and lots of handiwork today.  I've even been reading about pets and herbs.  King had a seizure recently (our 20 year-old's dog),and we don't know why, so I'm reading up on that and sharing with her.  He can take medication, but the medication will do more harm to him than another seizure.  He's never had one before either.  We are hoping he doesn't have one again, and it may have been caused by something poison related (he had gotten out of their apt. one day, just a few days prior to the seizure happening).

I just know one thing - can't wait to be back on my feet.  I'm doing so much handiwork, my hands are so dry.  I'm completely out of calendula lotion, almost out of my face lotion, and my homemade deodorant is completely gone.  Ugh.  I need to get back in the kitchen and get back to just about everything.  

Happy Homemaker Monday

I absolutely forgot to join in on this last Monday.  Today I am.  I'm joining up with Sandra at Diary of at Stay at Home Mom.  My week is starting up with less stress and more of a better plan this week.

Sunday, by 3pm I shockingly told Hubby, "I haven't had a hook in my hand all day!"  Nope.  We had a lumberjack breakfast, cut a load of barn wood (making another dent in the debris pile), and spent the rest of the day in the kitchen.  It was a meatloaf, potato kind of day.  I also got a frittata baked for on-the-go breakfast, along with homemade blueberry pancakes for those who were not on the go.  With breakfast baking/cooking freeing me up today, and the bed sheets already washed and dried, I'm ready to tackle cleaning chores today.

On the breakfast plate. . .

This and That

I baked my bacon in the oven for the first time.  It saves stove top space, but I'm not sure I like it that way.  I like crispy bacon, and this did not crisp up, nor was there much bacon grease to save.  I think I prefer stove top cooking.  What's your thoughts on this?  Instructions said 375°F for 15-18 minutes and I baked it 20.

I'm not sure I'll get to do too many craft shows this fall as planned.  One has passed, one is already booked up (I've tried to get into this other one for the last two years, but when I find out about it, it's too late.  I have one more to look into, but they haven't set a date.  If that happens, I'll be posting the items up for sale on my Rooster's Crow Farm blogspot.  

I snapped this picture the other morning.  It made me smile.  The clouds in the center formed the letter "C" - first letter in our grandson's first name (the one that passed).

The to-do list on making from scratch items has gotten a bit smaller.  I still have these to make though...

-calendula lotion
-face lotion
-deodorant
-lip balm
-homemade cleaning wipes

If I put the list here, quite possibly I'll remember to get them done, ha ha!

Been a bit busy....

We woke up to thick fog Monday morning.  School was delayed 2 hours, then eventually closed.  As I took the dogs out, it started to rain.  Urghhh.  Rain.  Like we need anymore. 

 Tuesday the fog was bad again - another school delay.
 

However, some lovely green peppers were stuffed and